Device for successively exhibiting spaced names, advertisements, and the like



July 14, 1936. P. w. FORREST 2,047,865

DEvIcE FOR SUCCESSIVELY EXHIBITING SPACED NAMES, ADVERTISEMENTS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 1, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 14, 1936. w s 2,047,865

DEVICE FOR SUCCESSIVELY EXHIBITING SPACED NAMES, ADVERT MENTS AND THE LIKE Fi led b. 1, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fl v Wmm, Z;

y 1936- P. w. FORREST 2,047,855

DEVICE FOR SUCCESSIVELY EXHIBITING SPACED NAMES, ADVERTISEMENTS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 1, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 14, 1936. P. w. FORREST 2,047,355

DEVICE FOR SUCCESSIVELY EXHIBITING SPACED NAMES, ADVERTISEMENTS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 1, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 fit/han W y 14, 1936- P. w. FORREST 2,047,365

DEVICE FOR SUCCESSIVELY EXHIBITING SPACED NAMES, ADVERTISEMENTS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 1, 1955 5 sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 14, 1936 sr r DEVICE FOR SUCCESSIVELY EXHIBITING SPACED NAMES, ADVERTISEMENTS, AND

THE LIKE Peter Wilson Forrest, Shettleston, Glasgow,

Scotland Application February 1, 1935,. Serial No. 4,591

- In Great Britain February 5, 1934 6 Claims.

The invention relates to devices for successively exhibiting spaced names, advertisements and the like, for example, route and destination indicators for vehicles, particularly motor road vehicles, and has for an object to provide an improved device whereby the name of the next station or place of interest, or the'routeon which the vehicle is travelling, or an advertisement may be exhibited or indicated.

' A' device for successively exhibiting spaced names, advertisements and the like, according to the invention, incorporates a drum, an electric motor mounted within and adapted to rotate said drum and means including a switch adapted,

A when actuated, to close the motor circuit and thereby effect rotary movement of the drum through an angle corresponding to the spacing of the matter to be exhibited.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation, partly diagrammatic, of a device according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view of one end of the device shown by Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a diagrammatic side view of another embodiment of the invention. Fig. 4 is a front view, showing the front wall of an enclosing casing partly broken away, of the device shown by Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view partly in section and Fig. 6 is an end view of the device shown by Figs. 3 and 4. Figs. 7 and 8 are, respectively, a sectional elevation and an inverted plan view of a switch herein- 7 after referred to and Fig. 9 is an. electrical diagram of the motor circuit.

Fig. 10 is a. fragmentary elevation of a modification of the invention hereinafter referred to.

Figs. 11 and 12 are, respectively, an end View anda section taken on the line |2--I2 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic fragmentary end View of a further modification. Figs. 14 and 15 are, respectively, an elevation and a corresponding plan view of the switch illustrated by Figs. 6 and '7 provided with means for changing the direction of rotation of the driving motor.

.Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic fragmentary elevation of a device for changing the polarity of the motor circuit. a i

Fig. 17 is a diagram of an electric circuit which includes a switch for changing the polarity of the motor circuit. i

Fig. 18 is a diagram illustrating an assembly of parts for automatically actuating the apparatus.

' The device illustrated includes a casing l constructed to contain the indicator mechanism and having a wall 2 presenting "a window opening-3.

I The casing is adapted to be secured in a con venient position inside a vehicle or against a wall or the like of a building.

A drum 4 is mounted for rotation inside the casing I, desirably, on a horizontal axis.

Accordingto the embodiment of the invention illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2, a band 5, trained over the drum 4, is adapted to be wound on and unwound from a pair of spaced rollers 6 and 1 secured on spindles 6' and I carried by brackets 10 8 mounted to slide against the rear wall I of the casing I. The spindles 5 and i are provided with sprocket wheels 9 wrapped by an endless chain l0 whereby the rollers 6 and l rotate togather. 15

To compensate for the varying diameters of the rollers 6 and 1 as the band 5 is wound thereon and unwound therefrom, pins II, which may be provided with anti-friction rollers, are assembled .to operate in slots I2 formed in the brackets B, and springs l3 are assembled to urge the brackets 8 in the direction away from the drum 4. l

One bracket 8 only is shown in Fig. 2, but it is ,to be understood that a similar spring-urged slotted bracket and co-operative pin are provided 1 to carry the other ends of the rollers 6 and I. A guide roller I4 is provided so that the band 5, in its travel, passes in close proximity to the window opening 3. r

According 'to the embodiment of the invention illustrated by Figs. 3 and 4, the band 5 is an endless band and is trainedover the drum 4 and guide rollers l4. Desirably, the edges of the band 5 are provided with spaced holes adapted to be engaged by projections or the like 4' presented by the drum. Guide rollers may be located adjacent to the drum to ensure that the projections enter the holes in the band.

In the case of a route and destination indicator for vehicles, the band 5 may contain, at spaced distances, the names of the stations or places of interest on the route to he travelled by the vehicle, or may contain a map of the district 45 through which the vehicle is to travel with the route clearly indicated, it may be by a thick line or otherwise. In the case of an advertising display device the band 5 may contain advertisements arranged at spaced distances apart.

If desired, the band 5 may sleeve the drum 4, the guide rollers being dispensed with, or the name or other matter to be exhibited may be painted on the drum, the band being dispensed with; I

A driving electric motor I is located within the drum 4.

' One end of the motor shaft Il may be carried by a bracket or the like It presenting a stationary 5 end wall for the drum 4 and the other end of the motor shaft I? may be secured to a disc or like member 35 secured to the drum'4. V r

A bracket l8, located adjacent to the stationary end wall l6 of the drum 5, carries a plurality of 10 circumferentially-spaced axially movable pins 19 7 adapted to track a cam 20 carried by the motor shaft IT. by means of an elastic band 21 stretched over projections 2 I on the pins l9, so that, in tracking the cam as the motor shaft .1! is rotated, t

' pins l9 are moved axially outwards.

The outer ends of the pins 19 present contacts which are co-operative with contacts .22, 22 desirably carried byblade springs 2 l and in- 20 cluded in an electric circuit which also includes a switch and the motor I 5. The said pins .areelectrically connected, asin'dicated'loytheline 241. c

'Wh'en the motor is stopped, one of said plus!!! is held in the out position by the cam 20 .so

25 that the contact associatedwith said pin is closed and the other pins l9 are'held inI'th-e in position by the cam 25 so that the contacts 22 and 22 associatcdtherewith are open. Y Y

. When the motor I5 is started, by closure of the switch, themotor shaft ll carrying'the cam 20 60 c to contact 22. 1 Current flows from the main clr otate until t e nos 10 t a pa t e inner end of the pin which is out whereby said pin moves in and opens the contacts 22 associated therewithso that the circuit is broken and the 5" motor stops. When the motor stops, the next pin is has been moved .fou'tifbythe; cam 25, .so that the .contaetsil associated therewith are closed.

' Desirablypa'nd as illustrated'bylFigs. 7 and B,

the. switch" includes a manually rotatable com- I ponent 2'5 and a stationary component -26, the

component 25 being provided with a central 21 which penetrates the component '26 and may be provided with ball or like bearings 28.

A'pin 25 extends radially from the pin 21 and is provided its outer end with'a recess 30 which is adapted-t0 co -operate with the inner end or one or other ofa plurality of 'spring urged' axially movable pins 31 carried by the component 26. The outer ends of the pins 31 present terminals 32, .32 and 32 desirably carried by blade springs 3'6- hich tend to force the pinsll radially -inwards. Fro'm said terminals 32, 32" and-'32 conre'spective'ly. r

of the pinsclk As shown by Figs. 6, 7,3 and 9, contact zi is closed and the pin 29 is contacting with -.the pin 3! of terminal 32 which is connected cHitSEA-through the connection 34, pins '21, '29, 3!, terminal 32, contact 2 2, through the motor l5 backfire the main circuit 33, whereby the motor shaft jllcarrying the cam 20 moves angularly until the nose. 2=ilf..passes'the inner end of the pin 707 with the opening which is connected to contact 22', the motor again.

l9 associated with the-contact 22, whereby said These pins are spring-urged, it may be nections are taken to the-contacts 22, 22' and 22?,

. Normally, the radial pin 29 contacts with t e V starts and the cycle is repeated, the motor shaft ll turning angularly orpartially rotating through an arc the length of which is determined by the spacing of the pins I9 which corresponds to the spacing of the matter contained on the'band 5.

According to the embodiment of the invention illustrated by Figs. 10, 11 and 12, which issuitable particularly forlarge indicators, the drum 4 is not directly connected to the motor shaft I! but the motor shaft ll passes freely through a disc or the like 31 secured within the drum 4. A star wheel 36, which may have six arms, is'mounted to rotate freely onthe motor shaft ll and is secured against a face of the disc or like member 31. A worm secured on the motor shaft ll engages aworm wheel 49 which, in turn, engages a toothed wheel 4L 4] project laterally from a side of the wheel and Convenientl the teeth of said toothed wheel the worm wheel 40 is mounted on a spindle 42 carried by a bracket secured to the frame or casing l. of, the device. The toothed wheel AI is secured on 44 carried by the frame or casing-i; of the device and a cam45, secured on said earch, is provided with spaced atera l projecting pins 46 adapted to engage the arms of the star wheel 38.; r

To co-operate with-the having six arms,Y-ther;e are two pins dfiprojectingfrom the cam 45 and these two pins arespacedscasf to engage successively tWOLELI'mS of the star wheel,

so as tomove said wheel through. anrangle of-fifl.

degrees and then move out of engagement. with saidarms.

. The cam 45' is tracked by a lover which is pivotedatdt to the .frame i of the deviceand' carries aspring-urgedstop pin 139 adapted to-lbe moved into and outof e ag ment the-star wheel 38.

In operation, when the motor 15 is started, the

cam 45 is rotated by means of the worm 39, worm wheel 40 andjtoothed wheel'dl whereby'the can first swings the lever 4.1. tomove the stop pin '49 V out of engagement with the star wheel 38; The pins 46 camried hythe 45 now rotate the star wheel 38, and thereforethe drum l, through an angle of degrees and pass out of engagement with the stariwhee'ltil. Thecam45 now'passe's from the lever El which, under the influence of the springxEfl, swing-s the stop pin Q5. into engagement and locks the star wheel St and drum 4 againstnfurtherrotation, the cam shaft M continlling to rotate. v

The cam shaft 44 carries a second 51 7 ing a laterally projecting piniz adapted to. en

gage'successively the armsof a second star wheel 53. having six arms, sothat saidwheel 53 is ro- 'tated through an angle of'30 degrees for each revolution of thec'am'5l; The cam 51 is tracked by aspring-urgedlev'erfl which carries a stop pin 55 adapted moved into and outlof engagement with the star wheel 53. A spindle 56, onwhich the :star wheel 53 is secured, carries nerends of a pairiof spaced, axially movable pins 58; 58', the outer ends of which present contacts a third cam 51 adapted to, be trackedby the -in-.

59, 59 adapted to co-operate with contacts 55,

6.0 included in electric circuit which also includes the switch hereinbefore described butdemay include an ordinary two-way switch. 1

In operation, the star wheel 53 rotates through angle of 30,-degrees foronerevohrtionof the cam 51,; so that -.one axially movable pin: 58,-is moved" 7 outwards to make contact with. its; associated signed with two contact positions or the circuit ically by Fig. 13, one axially movable pin 58, in-v stead of the two pins 58, 58 of the embodiment illustrated by Fig. 11, may bev assembled to track the cam 51. The pin 58 co-operates with a lever 62 connected by a blade spring 63 to a contact lever 64 adapted to contact with either of the contacts 68 or 60'.

In the case of the device of the invention being applied to railway vehicles having doors or gates which are closed before the vehicle leaves a station, the movable component of the switch may be operatively connected to the door or gate, so that closure of the door or gate moves the movable component whereby the name of the next station is exhibited by the device.

In order that the direction of rotation of the motor may be reversed, the movable component 25 of the switch may be provided with teeth or projections 65 (Figs. 14 and 15) which are cooperative with a spring-urged lever 66 adapted to contact with one or other of a pair of contacts 61. The contacts 61 are connected one to each coil of a motor having a pair of oppositely wound coils. The assembly is such that when the component 25 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the lever 66 is maintained in contact with one contact 61 and when the component 25 is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, the lever 66 is moved to contact with the other contact 61 whereby the direction of rotation of the motor 7 is changed.

Alternatively, and as illustrated by Fig. 16, the polarity of the motor circuit may be changed so as to reverse the direction of rotation of the drum 4 by means including a pinion 68 which is secured on the motor shaft I1 and gears with a wheel 69 provided with a laterally projecting pin 18, the ratio of the gears being such that one revolution of the wheel 69 corresponds to the length of the band. The pin 10 is adapted to engage a switch lever 66 so that, when moved by the pin 10, the switch lever 66 actuates a polechanging switch 61 and thereby changes over the polarity of the motor circuit.

If desired, and as illustrated diagrammatically by Fig. 1'7, the motor I5 may be provided with oppositely wound coils so that the change of direction of rotation may be obtained by means of a switch.

An automatic device, illustrated by Fig. 18, may be substituted for the switch illustrated by Figs. 7 and 8.

A motor 12, included in a circuit 13 provided with a switch 14, drives, by means including worm and worm wheel reduction gearing i5, a cam 16 adapted to be tracked by two endwise movable rods Tl, the ends of which present contacts adapted to co-operate with contacts 18 connected to the main circuit 33. Connections are taken from the rods 11 to the contacts 60, 60'.

In operation, closure of the switch 14 energizes the circuit 13 of the motor 12 whereby the cam 16 is constantly rotated. The contacts 18 are closed alternately by the movement of the rods 11 so that the circuit of the motor I5 is closed and opened by the alternate closure and opening of the contacts 60, 60'.

1. For successively exhibiting spaced names, advertisements and the like, a device which incorporates a casing, a drum mounted for rota.- tion within said casing, a shaft extending axially within said drum, an electric motor mounted on said shaft and within said drum, means whereby rotation of the shaft effects rotary movement of the drum, an electric circuit which includes said motor, a switch adapted, when actuated, to close said circuit and thereby effect rotary movement of said shaft and drum, co-operative contacts included in said circuit, a cam driven by said shaft and means operable by said cam for opening said contacts when said shaft has rotated through a predetermined angle and thereby ef- 1 feet stoppage of the shaft and drum.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the means whereby rotation of the motor shaft effects rotary movement of the drum comprises a cam adapted to be rotated from the motor spindle by means including worm and worm wheel gearing, a star wheel secured to the drum, pins carried by said cam and adapted to rotate said star wheel and drum and a stop pin adapted to prevent rotation of the star wheel, said stop pin being carried by a lever, operable by said cam, the assembly being such that a step-by-step rotary movement is imparted to the drum.

3. For successively exhibiting spaced names, advertisements and the like, a device which incorporates a casing, a drum mounted for rotation within said casing, a shaft extending axially within said drum, an electric motor mounted on said shaft and within said drum, means whereby rotation of the shaft effects rotary movement of the drum, an electric circuit which includes said motor, a switch adapted, when actuated, to close said circuit and thereby effect rotary movement of said shaft and drum, a cam driven by the motor spindle, spaced axially movable pins arranged to track said cam, contacts presented by said pins and contacts included in the electric circuit which includes the motor, said contacts being co-operative to open the electric circuit when the motor shaft has rotated through a predetermined angle and thereby effect stoppage of the drum.

4. For successively exhibiting spaced names, advertisements and the like, a device which incorporates a casing, a drum mounted for rotation within said casing, a shaft extending axially within said drum, an electric motor mounted on said shaft and within said drum, means whereby rotation of the shaft efiects rotary movement of the drum, electric circuits which include said motor, a switch including a rotary component and a stationary component adapted, on step-bystep rotation of. the movable component, to close each electric circuit in succession, pairs of cooperative contacts included in said circuits, a cam driven by the motor spindle, movable pins arranged to track said cam and operate the said contacts to open the circuit which has been closed by operation of the switch after the motor shaft has rotated through a predetermined angle.

5. For successively exhibiting spaced names, advertisements and the like, a device which incorporates a casing, a drum mounted for rotation within said casing, a shaft extending axially within said drum, an electric motor mounted on said shaft and within said drum, means whereby rotation of the shaft efiects rotary movement of the drum, an electric circuit which includes said motor, a p1ura1ityof terminal contacfs included in. said circuit, a: plurality of movable contacts, eachmovablecontact being associated witha', terminal contact, meansdriven from the motor 3 slmft for moving insuccess ioneach movable contact into'c'ontact with its associated terminal contact, a. rotaryiswitch presenting a, plurality of non-rotary contacts each of which is' electrically connected to one of the aforesaid movable con- 10? tacts, and. a 'rotary' contact also included in'said switchrand adapted to co-opefate in succession with; each of said. non-rotary contacts;

and adaptedito be rotafiecf by means of a pip which-projects4atera11y fl'om-theface ofa, second cam adapted-' to-be rotated-from the motor shaft 7 by worm and worm wheel'- gearing, a, stop pm carried-by: a lever amangeditotrack said second cam beiiig' co-opergfiive withfsaid star wheel. 

